Chris Johnson thinking $30-$40 million

With a smile, Titans running back Chris Johnson provided an idea of what he’s looking for in a new contract. ESPN has been working on a “Fastest Man in the NFL” story about Johnson for an E:60 piece scheduled to run next month.

On Friday night, the network ran a brief clip of a recent interview with Johnson. In the interview, Johnson repeated what he told The Tennessean in January: he wants to be the highest paid running back in the league and one of the “highest paid offensive players in the league, period,’’ he said.

(Johnson’s actually softened his stance. Pro Bowl week he said he wanted to be THE highest paid offensive player in the NFL).

Earlier this week, Johnson told me, “I can’t play for $550,000,’’ his scheduled base salary for 2010. He told ESPN Michael Smith’s he’s hoping for a deal with “anything over $30 or $40 (million) guaranteed.’’